Let the Darkness Rise
by JrQueen04
Summary: Part Two of my Alana Riddle series sees her rise in Voldemorts ranks and her struggle to understand the darkness within herself...
1. Returning home

**Darkness Rises.**

AN – New chapter of Anyana's life is about to begin…

Moonlight illuminated Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as Anya Riddle flew across the black late. The moon gave her an eerie glow reflected from the water below her. A sense of coming home washed over her as she gazed upon the familiar building before her, not suprising given the fact she had lived there for 7 years of her life.

Two years away had been enough, she was here as her brother had done before to ask to teach, to come back home as she saw it. She knew in her heart that it was what she was meant to do, her brother off with his own ideas and schemes. No Hogwarts had been the first place she ever felt truly excepted.

Life with Zarian whilst peaceful and affectionate, was in fact a little mundane for her, she craved more knowledge…more prestige than just a ministry officials wife.

Now the only task was to convince Dumbledore, the new Headmaster of Hogwarts and her only obstacle. She recalled the day Tom had returned in a fit of rage declaring his anger at "the old fool" as he called him for failing to employ him as the new Defence against the Dark Arts professor. Alana was not surprised at the refusal not that she was to explain to her volatile brother that she didn't think he had any chance at all of being accepted.

Too young Dumbledore had said as his excuse, but surely that wouldn't be the case with her, after all Slughorn himself had prized her as his protégée in potions. The old professor must be close to retiring age and therefore why wouldn't, his younger and in her opinion better student take over.

It was time for the student to surpass the teacher….


	2. A locket

30th August 1951.

Something rustled in the bushes beside a familiar tomb stone, before a creature appeared slithering its way across the grass to a lone figure dressed in dark robes and kneeling before a grave. The snake Anyana gaze was drawn to what she now saw to be a snake, young not quite full grown but with wise eyes.

"Hello" she hissed to the snake in greeting, looking into its eyes in curiosity. Snakes were drawn to her it was true but not one so young. She glanced up looking around and feeling the air.

"New pet, brother?" she called out, seemingly to no one. The snake continuing to gaze at her, never breaking its glance.

The air seemed to shimmer as if disturbed as a figure appeared in the darkness, Lord Voldemort as he was now being called in certain circles appearing before his sister. He was still handsome yes but his eyes seemed to be tinted in red, faintly enough to miss unless you looked for it.

"How did you know I was there?" Tom Riddle questions aloud, slightly annoyed that she had been able to sense him with the spell he had cast, so far no one had been able to tell.

"The air was too still, until this one made a disturbance, nice snake by the way still rather small though but I'm sure she will grow into something magnificent". Anya replied standing up and meeting his gaze. Her hand gestured to the snake as she spoke which hissed softly.

"Nagini" Tom replied shortly.

The snake recognising its name slithered back to her master and coiled at his feet, almost protectively. A moment of silence descended as the two siblings gazed upon each other for the first time in 5 years.

Finally Anyana broke the silence, "So why am I here brother? After five years why seek me here?" she gestured to the graveyard around her.

"I wanted to make sure that you remember who you are? What sort of person you were, when you're not surrounded by that muggle loving fool." There was a hint of malice to the tone of his voice, although to anyone else it would seem they were merely talking about the weather or some other nonsense.

Anyana's eyes narrowed she knew of course to what he was referring, it wasn't mere fate that they were here in this particular graveyard. Tom Riddle Snr name was listed on the grave that stood behind her, her own father whose life she had cut short all those years ago.

"I remember…I do not need reminding" Anya snapped coldly, her eyes flashing challengingly. Fighting to keep her memories at bay aware of any attempt at legilimency from her brother.

Tom just raised his eyebrow at her in question with a sly smirk curling round his mouth. "Well if you're sure, I was merely concerned your mind had been tainted by your lifestyle, quaint little wife and teacher that you have become."

"Is that a hint of jealousy I detect there brother" she sneered the words back at him, her temper running short of her. "After all we both know you wanted to return to Hogwarts and it was only Dumbledore who kept you away…or perhaps you would like to find a companion of your own?"

Tom didn't raise to the challenge, he simply scoffed and reached for his pocket of his robes.

"Sentiment, love has always been of no interest to me, why you would choose to weaken yourself is beyond me."

Neither spoke for a minute, for there was nothing either to say that would appease the other. Finally tom pulled out the object from his pocket and it glittered in the moonlight. There was nothing obviously special about the necklace he held and yet Anya recognised it immediately. Having dreamed of owning it for as long as she could remember.

Anya stepped forward almost unconsciously, her hand outstretched for the necklace, her mother's necklace.

"For someone who claims to know nothing of sentiment…you still managed to find this"

It was rather simple actually, you see I work for Borgin and Burkes and one of our clients Hepidizah Smith, a most repugnant lady made the grave error of revealing its whereabouts to me"

Anya smirked, foolish woman, this must have been the lady the Borgin had sold it to all those years ago when she had gone back for it in Knockturn Alley, the rich one who had outbid her. The thought still made her stomach churn with anger at the unknown woman and at Borgin who had broken his promise to her all for the sake of greed. She felt an unexpected amount of satisfaction with the knowledge that this woman was dead or as good as, and Syltherin's locket was now back in the hands of its descendent.

"I did assume that you might want it back, and I have an idea for an enchantment that you may put on it"

"Enchantment? What enchantment?" Anya questioned finally reaching out and clasping it in her hand. Her mind was taken back to the day her mother had left, and she had clasped it in her hand as it swung from her neck.

"You may recall my interest in horcruxes when we were still at school, splitting ones soul into pieces and hiding it in an object, ensuring that your body may be damaged but your soul lives on….immortality as it were…."

"Yes Tom I do, but as you should recall I thought the idea ludicrous and dangerous…souls shouldn't be played with, it's a magic no one can control…" Anya responded heatedly, how could he even suggest the idea?

"I have done it…I have controlled that magic and I own a horcrux of my own. I cannot die sister, I am more powerful than even death!" Lord Voldemort's eyes pulsed and flashed red as he said this, and Anyana began for the first time to really fear for her brother and his aims.

"No one is more powerful than Death Tom, not even Lord Voldemort".

Anya slipped the necklace back around her neck and turned back to the grave of her father, the man she had murdered without remorse.

"I will stand by you in anything Tom Riddle, but not in this…mutilate your soul if you must but I will not split mine…"

With that she turned and disparatated back to her husband, the school year would start tomorrow and she would be expected back at her potions placement in Hogwarts.

In the dark of the graveyard Lord Voldemort smiled his cold smile to himself and gathered his snake upon his shoulders…"We shall see sister…we shall see".


	3. Professor Knight

Professor Knight.

Year 1965

The classroom emptied quickly, the potions master having quickly dismissed them for the summer. Prof Anyana Knight glanced around her class room which had been her home from home and workplace for many years...nearly 20 years.

20 years of helping to educate and nurture the children of the future...but not her own...never her own. She supposed there had never really been the time, between her own job and Zarian's.

Zarian had become a high up member of the ministry and a well-known figure and governor of the school board. He worked long hours and Anyana was away at Hogwarts for most of the year. Besides she had her potions, her students...she was content...mostly.

When Anya was not at the school she was home with her husband, and life had become content and peaceful…a quaintness and contentment that had been missing growing up with her father. At home she could practice and brew whatever she liked, she had begun to experiment with potions again and even a couple of spells here and there.

Of course there was always a niggling thought in the back of her mind...tom. She had neither seen nor heard from him since that time in the graveyard 15 years ago. She heard that he had gone searching for more knowledge in Albania, but that had been some time ago now. She was sure he was safe but she was none the less concerned as to what trouble he had got himself into.

"Professor Knight" a voice shook her from her thoughts, Professor Dumbledore his hair greyer than before and his beard almost to his stomach stood before her, with a look of concern.

"You're making it snow...Anyana...what troubles you".

Anya looked around her and sure enough snow had started to trickle down from the ceiling above her head, she hadn't even noticed using her magic so deep in her thoughts she had been. She quickly shook the snowflakes from her hair.

"Sorry Albus...I was just thinking about Tom...I have heard no word from him..."

Albus Dumbeldore looked at the woman before him, the riddle siblings had been a cause of worry for him from the moment he met them, and realised the connection. Yet as the years had gone by something had driven them apart. The woman before him as she could only be called for she was no longer the small girl he had met all those years ago, was dear to him, her talents with magic and potions had always caused him awe and pride and perhaps a slight hint of fear…for she was very powerful and who could if given the wrong guidance be a dangerous threat to the wizarding world…or a great asset given the correct guidance.

"No…I have heard but whispers and I admit that I hope that they are merely only whispers of his doings and whereabouts…I fear what magic he has discovered far off in the world…for not all magic is without a price…"

Anya gazed at her old professor, he was starting to lose his youthfulness. His hair was no longer auburn and had flecks of grey coming through. However, his eyes still had a twinkle and he peered over his glasses at her. She had always worried that he would use legilimency on her and find out her deep dark secrets, but often wondered if he needed to… for his eyes seemed to know so much without magic…

"My brother is nothing if not cautious, I'm sure whatever magic he has delved into would have been carefully thought out and assessed…he never was one to act rashly…he wants only to discover more knowledge"

Even as she said this she realised the untruth in what she was saying. Tom had a temper and his desire to succeed would often drive him to use unconventional magic…after all he had already spilt his soul at least once. Knowledge drove him admittedly but so did his need for more power…to be greater than death and greater than the man who stood before her.

"Perhaps….I have come to share some news with you. It seems with Professor Dippett retiring this year there is a position for Headmaster…I have been asked to fill the post in September. Professor McGonagall will be taking over the position of Head of Gryfindor, and I was going to offer you the new position of Head of Slytherin House"

Anyana beamed at him with a joy that would be befitting of her younger self. "Congratulations, Headmaster. I could think of no one better to fill the role. I would be honoured to accept my new role."

The two exchanged pleasantries, wishing each other a pleasant summer, before Dumbledore took his leave. Anyana sat down at her desk and pondered her conversation. Head of Slytherin, the irony wasn't lost on her. Of course no one could ever know the truth about her being the Heir of Salazar Slytherin himself, but this appointment felt right, her birth right as it were.

She wished she could share this news with the other descendant…tom. Now with what Dumbledore had said her concerns were growing, perhaps through the summer months she could go out and look for him. Find a clue, anything that might tell her what trouble he was getting himself into now.

Zarian could come with her, call it a holiday. Albania, she would start there and see what she could find out. Shake down that old cretin Borgin into seeing if he had any news, that lousy good for nothing must have some idea where Tom had been going.

She finished packing up her classroom before using the fireplace to floo home where her husband was waiting for her, she wasn't one to attend the leavers feast, preferring to return to her homestead and studying. Her mind full of possibilities and ingredients to try.


	4. Albania

Albania

Flames licked at the fireplace in the quiet bar room of the _armëve princat_ on a wet and windy day in Albania. Rain pelted at the windows and the few customers huddled in their coats to keep warm.

One such occupant of this dank pub was unperturbed by the apparent chill in the air as he hunched over a book, a hood upon his face. His wand placed beside him in case of any uninvited guest who may come to join him, not that many had dared to since he'd make it quite clear he preferred solitude, by stunning one such unfortunate mingler within the first week that he'd been staying there.

The locals had since given him a wide berth and kept themselves to themselves since, although gossips was abound as to who the mysterious figure was and why he had always kept a hood upon his face since arriving. Perhaps he was disfigured, or on the run…or hiding something.

Tom Riddle closed the book before him in frustration. Yet again this book had yielded him no results, or nothing he did not already know. He must have looked at every bloody tree in Albania, so far no diadem. Perhaps the Grey Lady had lied to him, or been so blindsided in her "fear and grief" that she had not even been in the right forest. He seethed silently as the thought of his next move.

He summoned the serving witch over with a casual wave of his hand. After ordering his usual simple lunch, soup and a double of fire whiskey he dived back into the unfinished book, determined to find some sort of answer to the questions in his mind.

Lord Voldemort as he had decided to rename himself had discovered many things in his travels since leaving school. Unlike his sister he had given up with the idea of a teaching position and now sort to further his knowledge into all sides of magic the light and the dark.

He had mastered a new ability that many before him never could…he could fly without the need for a broom, taking a simple levitating spell and adapting it around his person to make him free from the pull of gravity at will. He was magnificent he had always known it and soon he would be ready to show the world his power.

So deep in his thoughts he didn't notice the arrival of two strangers who had made their way into the bar both wearing cloaks to keep out the rain from their clothing. Anyana Knight took a place at a table near the fire, paying little head to the man on the opposite table.

Zarian made his way to the bar in order to purchase some drinks for them both, pulling the hood from his shoulders as he did so. Anya studied her husband from her seat, his age had begun to show in his hair line and in some lines to his face, but his smile still made her melt and time had had no bearing on his eyes. They weren't young anymore but they were happy and this holiday had been what they both needed, she smiled brightly at the thought.

Someone else had noticed the man at the bar, and now his eyes fell on the lady sat before him, by the fire. Where Zarian Knight went, Anyana wouldn't be far behind. His mouth formed into something like a grin and his eyes filled with mischief. He began to hiss softly to himself.

" _What is lost can never be found…."_

Anya was in the process of removing her soggy cloak when she first heard the noise, a hissing she would know anywhere despite the long years since she had heard it.

Glancing around she searched for the source of the noise before her eyes fell upon the table to her right, where a familiar shaped figure sat. Lowering her hood, she answered back careful of the patrons around her.

" _But what's found…can never have truly been lost"_

Anyana turned to look at her brother, confused by his hooded appearance at school he had always been proud of his looks and being so far away would mean he would not have to hide himself from unfriendly eyes. She moved over to the table ignoring Zarian's puzzled look as he waited to be served.

"Why are you hiding brother? Why not show me your face?"

Tom Riddle glanced up at his sister, and for the first time she noticed the blood red colour that had taken over his eyes…recoiling slightly at what he had become she observed, his face was pale withdrawn, and yet a fraction of his old handsome self was still upon him making him recognizable to her but still strange…unnatural.

"What has happened to you…" Anyana gasped. Reaching out to touch his face before he stopped herself and brought her arm back down, unsure how he would react to the intrusion.

"I have become immortal as I told you years before…it appears to carry some costs but none that are not worth paying the price for."

It was at this point that Zarian had returned with the drinks, to join his wife at the unknown man's table. "Anyana, are you alright? You've gone white as a sheet" he placed the drinks down before sitting and grabbing his wife's hand. He looked towards the figure before him and a cold fear shot down his spine at the sight of his old school colleague.

"Tom?" he questioned…"Is that really you? We've been searching for you…Anya has been concerned…"

Lord Voldemort merely sneered at his sister's husband, why she had gone on to marry the man had always puzzled him, the power of love that he could and never would begin to understand. He respected the man that Zarian had become working for the ministry, and rising with its ranks but he was disappointed that he had limited himself to it, and for in his opinion holding back his sisters potential.

"I have travelled many miles and discovered large quantities of knowledge through my travels. I have discovered magic that had long been forgotten and what could not be found in any _school_ library" he sneered the word with a look at his sister showing he was still displeased with her unwillingness to join him on his journey.

"Why have you come here Anyana…last we spoke you were content to stay with your husband and the muggle loving fool Dumbledore at Hogwarts, why seek me out now…it is most inconvenient, for as you can see I am busy…"

Anya rolled her eyes at her brother's pettiness still it seemed he held a grudge because she chose love and work over him. She felt her ire get up at his rudeness, she had traveled a long way to find him.

"I came here to find you…I had not heard from you in several years and had grown concerned and quite rightly true it seems…what magic could have caused this Tom…just how dark have you delved…to mutilate yourself as you have done…"

Lord Voldemort felt his own temper flair and the condensation from his older sister. He rose from his seat before vanishing the book with a flick of his wand, he pulled his cloak tighter around his person before glancing down at his sister.

"I do not need to explain myself to you sister…go back to your castle and your potions…I have no need for you…"

"How dare you…I didn't travel all this way to be spoken to like that…" Anya stood up angrily. A few people in the bar looked round at the commotion, eager for any gossip that may unfurl about this previously unknown figure. One look from Anya's piercing eyes however made them quickly turn back to their own business.

"Anyana enough I do not have time for these petty squabbles…I am working on becoming something far greater than ever before…you had your chance to join me and you refused. I will find what I'm looking for alone. I need no ones help. "

With that he disparated leaving a speechless and fuming Anyana behind him. The arrogant prick she thought to herself…she would not be so easily cast aside…

AN – this chapter took a life of its own…not 100% sure with it, but trying to keep updating more frequently, changed the story in my mind somewhat from what I first planned. If anyone has any further ideas on what Voldemort did while he was in Albania, please let me know, got a few of my own but hard to pin them down for certain. Thanks to all my loyal readers I know this has taken some time, but rest assured I don't want to abandon it as I definitely want to write the ending of her tale and adventures.


	5. Realisations

Realisations.

Lord Voldemort apparated himself back into the forest, determination and irritation still strongly pushing him through. He didn't need let alone want his sister's help, she would only slow him down and besides she would probably disagree…as she always did.

Merlin that woman was a fly in the ointment, all logical reason said to get rid of her after all she knew too much about him and was a weakness that could be used against him by his enemy's particularly Dumbledore, who had had far too much influence over his sister in previous years in his opinion. Yet he found that whenever the thought crossed his mind some unexplainable feeling took over him, and he couldn't bring himself to entertain the thought again…he refused to believe that it was some kind of love for he didn't love and never would.

However as he spotted his sister storming through the trees after him, with a murderous look upon her face he once again strongly debated his decision.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle, you had better stop being so pig-headedly arrogant at once…I did not come out to Merlin only knows where for you to dismiss me offhandedly as if I was one of your stupid followers from school…"

Her eyes were blazing at him and he felt the beginnings of humility as he regarded her before him, even with what he had said to her she was determined to assist him…and she called him pig-headed. If anyone else had spoken to him the way she was, let's say they wouldn't be able to make the same mistake twice.

"Sister, how I was just contemplating my misery at not hearing your sweet and gracious opinion on my character…but here you are, how lucky I am" he said with mirth.

Anyana however was anything but amused at his attempt at belittling her further. Well two can play this game she thought, and shed wager she was better.

"Well I figured it had been so long since you had seen me brother, that it was about time that your ego came back down to earth…not that I'm sure it needs it given what you have done to yourself."

Her words with ice, and seeping with disdain.

"Mock my appearance if you must, but at least I have managed the impossible…and am no longer bound by my own mortality, unlike you sister, something you might want to take into consideration the next time you speak to me this way…"

His eyes flashed as the threat lie between them, the two sibling staring each other out, not one wanting to give in and break their gazes first.

Finally Anya sighed and dropped her gaze. She glanced around at the unassuming forest around her, it seemed to stretch for miles.

"An interesting place for you to come to brother…I wonder at the reasoning…unless of course you are looking for something?"

Tom Riddle sighed, he should have guessed she would figure it out she always seemed to found out, and how he did not know…

"What have you worked out Sister?"

Anya smirked at her sibling, and began her deductions…

"Given the last time we spoke you passed my mother pendant onto me, I took the liberty of looking into Habadizah Smith, discreetly of course and discovered that the lady had not only been in possession of this but also another artefact a cup…which was rumoured to belong to Helga Hufflepuff herself…two objects by two founders in your possession…it would only make sense you would start to look for the other one…Gryffindor is clearly out of the question so that would leave the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw…But there of course lied the problem of that the diadem has been lost for centuries…please enlighten me as to how you intend to find it here…"

Tom half laughed at himself before beginning his half of his journey.

"It was rather simple in the end, I'm surprised no one had put two and two together before myself. You remember the grey lady of course who haunts Hogwarts, it turned out that she was in fact Helena Ravenclaw…I got to speaking to her one time about discovering knowledge and after a little coaxing she admitted she had stolen the diadem from her mother all those centuries ago…I realised this was my chance to get a lead on where it was now and I charmed the tragic tale from her, that lead me here to Albania…the only problem is finding which tree she hid it in…"

He glanced round in anger at that final statement, kicking a leaf in frustration at the glitch in his so far perfect plan.

"Well a good job I found you then...provided of course you want your big sisters help?" she replied coyly, playing with the necklace around her neck.

"If you have an answer Anyana, do share, or leave...I have no time for your games..."

Anya smirked, and pulled the necklace from around her neck. She wrapped it round her hand and placed her palm flat out.

"You said yourself these heirlooms from our ancestors are imbued with magic...perhaps this one can help us find the others...all you need is an heir and a heirloom...which now you have."

Seeing the hungry look in her brothers eyes, she closed her hand off before he could make a move to take the necklace from her.

"Before I help you however, I want to know why you need to find this item, why you feel the need to become immortal...and at such a price to yourself and your soul...explain it to me Tom or I will not help you mutilate yourself further..."

For a moment she thought her brother might curse or strike her, such was the rage in his expression. However he moved away and looked into the trees, seemingly trying to decide the next course of action. He couldn't charm his sister the way he could the others and surprisingly he almost wanted to discuss it with someone, with his only mortal attachment left in the world.

"I refuse to be bound to mortality...the same mortality that binds everyone else, I am to be the greatest wizard of all time! that man cannot be bound by something so ordinary, so human as to be killed with one well placed spell...Our entire line is dead, that is what has become our legacy, our once proud house was left to a small shack where two pureblood fools lived alone hating the world. So proud of nothing...I will not allow that to continue. Salazar Slytherin deserved better, he had the goal of wiping away the plague on our school and world...muggles and their offspring leaking into our world and diluting our blood, even our own blood sister is tainted...

Our mother...she gave up everything for love, a love that wasn't even real or true, bought by magic and she died...she was weak and couldn't even muster the strength to save herself, for me or for you. I will never let myself fall so low... I will not allow weakness of any form...I will be perfect and extraordinary and I will pay any price..."

By the end of his speech he was impassioned and without meaning Anyana found herself compelled by him. he would make one hell of a leader some day and what he said resonated within her.

"There are worse things than death Tom...you need not fear it..."

"I fear nothing!" His eyes blazed red as he shouted it.

Yet now she understood, that he was afraid of his death, or rather of being nothing as he had been before Hogwarts and before he had his magic to make him special. A tear ran down her cheek as she regarded him, wanting so much to comfort him and protect him from the world but realising that it could never happen.

She knew there was nothing she could say to him, to change his mind on this matter so she simply turned and walked away into the trees letting the pendant fall between her fingers and muttering incantations to herself as she went. When nothing happened she paused, her brothers eyes upon her never letting up as she pondered what to do.

Finally resolving herself to an answer, she conjured a knife and sliced a thin cut across her palm, letting her blood touch the necklace which seemed to grow warmer in her hand as it recognised its owner. The pendant began to float ahead of her seeming to want her to follow it. she turned back to Tom and gestured for him to follow.

The two siblings began to walk after the necklace as it lead them to their prize, neither saying a word. After a short while a tree emerged before them and the necklace returned itself to Anyana neck and grew cold.

"This is it...it must be."

Lord Voldemort started towards the tree casting charms to check for spells and incantations which could be placed upon it, finding none she dug his hand into the hollow of the tree finally revealing a small tiara covered in leaves but shining none the less. He smiled and held it to the light triumphantly.

"You have your prize brother...I now leave you to your spell...and your quest for immortality".

With that Anyana Knight, walked away apparated back to her husband, fear upon her heart and in her soul.

Tom looked down at the prize in his hand...and mumbled to himself..."Thank you Sister..."


	6. Back to Hogwarts

Back to Hogwarts.

The weather was stormy outside one unassuming night in August. Zarian and Anyana Knight sat together in front of the fire drinking tea and reading books, the flames roared in front of them, filling their home with heat and comfort. To an outsider it would look the most tranquil of evenings the married couple enjoying their peace before the pressures of school and the ministry would take it away from them. Every so often Zarian would run his hand through her hair and Anyana wished that she could stay in the moment forever.

Of course it was not to last as without warning the flames in the fireplace disappeared and a with a whoosh a figure appeared out of the flames. Both stood up in alarm with their wands raised and ready to expel the intruder.

The figure dusted himself of before turning to the couple, unperturbed with the wands now in his face.

"Good Evening" Tom Riddle greeted.

"Tom, what in blazes are you doing here? I don't suppose you considered knocking like a normal person?" Anyana fumed at her brother, both her and Zarian lowering their wands upon recognizing their guest.

"Why knock when flooing is so much easier, besides i was not sure i would receive a warm reception, this way i was at least guaranteed that much." With that he sat himself down in one of the armchairs.

"Not that it isn't lovely to see you Tom, i wonder if you were planning on telling us the reason for your rather unannounced visit..." Zarian asked as tactfully as he could.

"Well _Zarian_ , as you ask so nicely i will tell you. I require the assistance of your lovely wife. I need something hidden, something important and would greatly appreciate if she could accommodate me on this occasion..."

"Excuse me! you show up at my house unannounced to ask for a favour...you have some nerve brother, I thought I had made my position very much clear when it came to your items...I found one for you is that not enough..."

Zarian looked between the siblings and couldnt help but roll his eyes, the story was forever the same. Tom would come calling for help, Anayana would pretend not to be interested but eventually give in and help out due to sibling affection and curiosity. He could not deny his wife's intrigue into the dark arts and even his own, once upon a time. Sometimes he missed the old days when they were back in Slytherin House together, on some quest or the other. The years had changed them all but that desire still laid within the three, and this time was no different.

Deciding he had better interveen before the two managed to antagonise each other too much.

"What is it you need hidden Tom, I'm sure the ministry could accommodate you..."

He stopped when he heard the chilling laugh of tom, had it always been that cold and high he wondered?

"I dont believe the ministry would be interested in holding this particular item...not that i would risk leaving it to such puny security, no everyone knows the best place to hide something is in a room where no one would think to look...a room which no one would know existed..."

He cast a pointed look at Anyana, who was stood with her arms crossed. "Hogwarts, you seek to hide that in Hogwarts...the school which need I remind you will soon be in the care of Albus Dumbledore...the man you hate above all others...Can't see a single thing wrong with that." She scoffed before sitting down and picking up her book, clearly dismissing him.

Not one to be so dismissed, Tom stood from his seat and picked up her book, scoffing at the title "Beauty and the Beast" before placing it on the table beside them.

"I do not fear that old fool, and neither do I believe him so great to impede in my plan. I will place this right under his nose and he shall work out nothing..of that I am certain. I just need a way in, and you my dear sister have that at least...Professor Knight."

Anyana sighed as she regarded him, every time he came knocking he wanted something, would nothing she did be enough for him.

"If i agree to do this, that is it Tom, I cannot keep being at your beck and call, myself and Zarian have a life too you know and so far you have wanted no part of it".

Tom inwardly scoffed at the mundane quality of it all, but outwardly placed his hand over his heart as he agreed.

"You have my word".

"Then fine I will help you get into Hogwarts...though i hope you realise that i can lose my job by doing so. Fortunately it is still the holidays and most of the teachers will not be back as of yet...we can floo in through my office, and then head to the 5th floor corridor...i assume by your idea of a room which no one knows about you are referring to the Room of Requirement?"

Tom nodded and shifted his cloak further up his shoulders, as he readied himself to leave.

Anyana stood and turned to Zarian, before she could say anything however he cut her off with a kiss. When they parted he spoke...

"Well I assume you were not about to tell me to stay here, as you know full well that it is not going to happen...I'm tired to sitting on the sidelines if you are going to risk yourself then i am dam-well going to come to and stop you from getting into trouble...now let's skip the argument that you won't win and lets go..."

Anyana was gobsmacked as she regarded her husband, she hadn't heard him so determined for years and there was no will within her that would have attempted to keep him here. she merely admitted defeat by summoning both their cloaks before walking to the fire place.

Grabbing onto his hand, and giving it a squeeze, she threw the floo powder into the fireplace before annunciating "Hogwarts..." and the two disappeared in a ball of flames, spinning to their fateful destination.

An - Two in one night, I am on holiday at the moment so have some time to write. Need to get the next chapter up soon as it is a very important one. I was originally going to tag it on to this but figure it will be too long, so look for it soon. Please leave me a review as they give me hope people haven't given up on me just yet.


	7. A fateful evening

A fateful evening.

Many times over the coming years would Albus Dumbledore look back and regret not ignoring the disturbance in the wards that he felt on the fateful evening of August 24th 1965. However as headmaster he knew it to be his duty to investigate. His blue eyes determined but content as he wandered the grand halls of Hogwarts searching for any sign of disturbance.

It was as he wandered closer to the 5th floor corridor that he noticed 3 lit wands in the hallway and they exited what he was assuming was the room of requirement. A complex ward being cast by a familiar looking wizard and his two companions.

"Professor Knight?" He questioned recognising his prized pupil and friend before him.

Anyana spun round at the calling of her name and regarded her employer with a look of carefully hidden fear, it was not forbidden to return to the castle earlier than planned, even with her husband beside her however Tom was another matter.

"Professor Dumbledore sir…I did not expect you to be back at the school so soon…I trust you had a pleasant summer?" Zarian spoke up, hoping to diffuse a situation which could prove to be unstable.

Beside him he could feel Anyana and Tom both tense up, and he thought he noticed Tom's hand twitch to his robes, no doubt to his wand which was concealed there.

"I did, though I find myself wondering what could warrant you three here this evening, not that it is not a pleasure to see you all of course…I take it you are here to apply for the teaching position again Tom? I regret to inform you that my answer would have to remain the same…" Dumbledore kept his tone as neutral as Zarian's as he spoke directly to his imposing former student.

Tom merely sneered, and this time his hand made a more deliberate stray to his pocket as he prepared himself to go up against his former headmaster if necessary.

"I'm afraid not professor, I was of course merely assisting my dear sister here back to school, I do so miss these halls as I'm sure you understand, if you had not forbade my return here all those years ago I doubt that I would have ever left…" Tom's voice was sheer silk, and to anyone else it would have been believable.

Anyana could do nothing but watch the exchange between the two rivals and as her hand clasped Zarians beside her a cold feeling overcame her, surely something had to give sooner or later.

"We are sorry to have caused you any disturbance Albus, I can assure you that there is nothing amiss here, as Tom said he and my husband were simply assisting me back to the school with my supplies, I went to Albania you see and discovered many new ingredients to try within potions…I'd be happy to show you come morning, as now it is getting rather late…don't you think?"

For a long moment nothing was said and the tension between them seemed to lessen slightly.

"I believe you are right Anyana, it is getting late…perhaps we had best call it a night and return in the morning with the rest of you things, perhaps have tea with your good self Albus?" Zarian advised turning to his wife as he said it before glancing at Tom whose cold eyes refused to leave Dumbledore's for even a second.

"An excellent suggestion Zarian, it is late after all and would hate to impose any further, so we will just be on our way…Goodnight Albus… Tom are you coming?"

With that Anyana and Zarian had begun walking away up the corridor, but she noticed Tom was not following, and when Anya looked back at her brother, she could no longer see the young boy from school this was someone else someone dangerous, and he was looking at Dumbledore as though he was trying to bury him with his gaze. Albus Dumbledore held his ground and she knew he was trying to break down the wards within Tom's mind, to find out what they had really been up to.

"Goodnight Tom" Albus finally said after realising he would not get through…"I trust whatever the real reason you were here tonight will come to light soon…"

"You interfering old fool…" It was as he turned away that Lord Voldemort struck, sending a hex straight at his former mentor. Too quick and too lethal for any normal wizard to have hoped to stop, his years of hatred and malice came out to start a furious duel. Two great wizards, neither of whom would stop till the other was defeated.

Anyana was torn as to what she could do, if she helped Tom she was betraying her school, if she helped Dumbledore she was abandoning her brother…all she could do was watch with horror and aww at what was happening before her. Eventually she decided enough was enough and moved to interfere between them hoping to form some kind of shield between the two before they killed each other.

Everything happened very quickly then, and she knew that no matter how many times she ran over the moment in her head she would never be sure of what happened. It was as she stepped forward into the fray and cast the protective spell around herself that a moment that could only be described as tragic occurred. As Dumbledore cast one final spell at Tom, it rebounded from Anyana's shield and attacked the only unprotected one in the room.

Anyana Knight and Albus Dumbledore could do nothing but stare in horror as the curse headed straight to Zarian, before he had time to even react, it hit him in the chest causing him to fly backwards into the wall with a sickening crunch…

Time seemed to stop…and no one could move.

Suddenly a gust of power hit the windows causing them to shatter as Anya Knight screamed in pain, rushing forward to her fallen husband and cradling his body in her arms. "No" she muttered over and over as grief overcame her. Zarian's eyes were lifeless and empty as she tried to summon him back to her by sheer force of will, but no matter how many times she called his name he was not going to wake up.

Tom Riddle could do nothing but stand protectively over his sister as the glass fell down around them, his eyes never leaving Dumbledore's, who could only watch the scene in horror and grief. His heart breaking whilst a deep fear filled him, how would she ever forgive him for this?

Anyana didn't remember how she got back to the house that night, she didn't know if she had been dragged or carried, and she didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore, he was gone, the only one who'd been by her side from the beginning, her lover and companion…her Zarian.

Lord Voldemort couldn't have planned the situation more perfectly if he had tried, he had wanted to win back his sister to his way of thinking, and here he had been handed the greatest opportunity…and he didn't even have to kill the man himself.

In the coming weeks her pain would turn into an all-consuming anger at Dumbledore, an anger that would build and shape a new threat, a deadly weapon. Dumbledore had always said that love could heal anything, that is was the strongest force on earth…and he wasn't wrong but now she had lost her love and it was all his fault…she would destroy him in revenge and revenge her fallen companion.


End file.
